Keeping Warm in Winters--Their Stories
by EveningCicada
Summary: A collection of stories about Jeff and Tony. Not in any particular order unless otherwise noted. Super cute! Contains JeffxTony. I also take requests, if you would like me to create a particular scene, anything you like! I'd love it if you reviewed! Thanks! Not all stories may have the same rating. Please enjoy!


**Midnight Snowfall**

"Jeff," Tony whispered, nudging his friend's shoulder. "Jeff."

Jeff stirred and rolled onto his side. He opened his eyes and looked up at Tony, whose face was pale with fear.

"What is it, Tony?" he mumbled, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

Tony looked to the floor and said quietly, "I had a nightmare."

Jeff sat up in bed and reached for his glasses on the bedside table, sliding them over his ears. "What about?" he asked.

"You... You didn't come back," said Tony, looking back up at him.

Jeff's eyebrows came together. "What?"

"You didn't come home," Tony said again. "I was waiting for you and everything, but you never came back..." His cheeks flushed and he looked away again.

"Tony," Jeff said calmly, "that was a while ago. It's over now."

"I know," Tony said. "But I still worry sometimes." He swallowed, then played with a button on his pajama shirt.

"You shouldn't," said Jeff, reaching out his hand to find Tony's. He squeezed it gently, and Tony blushed again, squeezing back.

"Come on," Jeff said, peeling out of the covers. "I know what will make you feel better."

Tony watched as his roommate slid on a pair of socks and made his way to the door.

"Jeff? What are you doing?"

"Follow me," was all Jeff said, motioning for him to come along. Tony nodded, his bare feet patting against the wooden floors.

Stealthily the two boys made their way across the dark hallway, past the closed dorms that housed their sleeping schoolmates. When they came to the end of the hall, Jeff halted abruptly at the corner, poking his head around to see if the coast was clear. Tony did not expect this, and found himself knocking into Jeff.

"Oh!" he said, backing away. "I'm so sorry, Jeff." 

Jeff smiled. "It's okay." He gestured for him to follow again. "Let's go."

Tony strayed a little farther behind this time, his heart thumping violently inside his chest. To be so close to Jeff, his dear friend... The very thought was overwhelming. He bit his lip, embarrassed. Jeff was several paces ahead of him now, his blonde hair tossed about his head, serving as evidence that he had just woken up. Here was Jeff, who was always onto something, forever keeping busy, even for Tony.

_Thank you, Jeff,_ Tony thought, _for being such a good friend._ These words made him smile, and he trotted lightly to catch up with his best friend.

They approached the main lobby now, still tiptoeing in the dark. The moonlight seeping in from the tall windows on the far wall was the only source of light. Tony and Jeff were mere outlines, shadows, as was the rest of the room. The lush, burgundy couches could just be made out in the darkness, and before Tony could notice the large coffee table that rested in the center of the lobby, he walked into it.

"Ouch!" he whisper-shouted, rubbing his knee. Then, "Jeff? Are you sure we should be doing this?"

Jeff ignored the second question and focused on Tony's first statement. "Tony? Are you okay?" He walked back to check on him.

"I-I'm fine, Jeff," Tony said, and although he was embarrassed to have made such a fool of himself, that warm feeling returned to his heart again. He smiled, unable to hold it in. "I'm okay."

"All right." Jeff paused, surveying the room. "Stay here," he told him after a moment. "I'll be right back." He began to walk away, but Tony reached out for his arm.

"Jeff!" he said suddenly. Jeff whizzed around and hushed him.

"Quiet," he reminded him. "Someone'll hear us."

Tony kept his grip on Jeff's arm. "What if... What if someone comes?" he asked. "And you won't be here?" 

Jeff chuckled, the moonlight reflecting in his lenses. "I'm coming back," he teased, and made his way into the hall.

Tony's cheeks were red, throbbing in the darkness, though grateful Jeff couldn't see. He sank into one of the armchairs, tucking his legs underneath his lap as he waited for his friend to return.

Jeff found sneaking into the kitchen a simple ordeal, as the door was left unlocked. Carefully he reached for the cabinets above his head, feeling around for the cardboard box. He found it, and brought it down onto the counter, pulling out one, two hot chocolate packets. He stuck the box back where he found it and grabbed two mugs from another cupboard. It took a few minutes to locate the teapot, and several more to heat the water. Jeff hoped Tony was still doing all right out there, and was more anxious about having Tony get caught by the headmaster than getting spotted himself. While he waited for the water to finish boiling he opened a few drawers beneath the counter. He finally found a lighter and stuck it deep into his pocket. He tore open the hot cocoa packets, poured them into the white mugs, stirred them both thoroughly and headed out to reunite with Tony, flicking the light off and shutting the door behind him.

Tony sat there for at least fifteen minutes, toying with his hands. Where was Jeff? Why wasn't he back yet? Most importantly, what was he even doing? Tony could not answer any of these, but was comforted by the thought that Jeff was out here, awake, for him. It was almost enough to push his anxiety back into the far reaches of his heart. _Jeff is trying to care for me. _Another bashful smile, despite the boy's sweaty, nervous palms.

Light footsteps were coming from the far end of the room.

"Jeff?" Tony said, probably too soon, and certainly too eagerly.

"Yeah," Jeff's voice sounded. "It's me. How are you holding up?"

"Fine, just fine," Tony said, getting up from the chair to meet him. He noticed Jeff place a couple of mugs on the coffee table below them, steaming with the aroma of cocoa.

"Jeff," Tony said, "you didn't have to..." He trailed off, taken by his friend's kindness. "J-Just being here...tonight...was enough."

Jeff smiled, his specs flashing. "I know, but I wanted to. It's been forever since I've had hot chocolate." He glanced at the brick fireplace at the very back of the lobby, stately and broad. Tony sipped from his mug as Jeff walked over to it and, pulling out the lighter, lit the logs inside. The fire was delicate, weak at first, but within minutes it had crackled and snapped effortlessly, so that the two boys could feel its heat as they sat next to it.

Tony looked at Jeff again, his features shadowy against the rise and fall of the flames. The fire was almost reflected in his glasses, a small orange shape just beside his pupil.

"Tony?" he said suddenly, and it was Tony's own face that reflected in the lenses now. "You okay?"

Tony blinked a few times, smiled embarrassedly at him and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. Sorry."

Jeff just returned the grin and chuckled, drinking his cocoa.

Tony looked behind him at the large, arched windows. "Jeff," he said, "look. It's snowing."

Jeff turned around and nodded at the falling flakes. "Yeah, it is. Guess that's why it's called Winters." He smirked.

Tony had lived in Winters his whole life, but snow still fascinated him. He carefully watched the snowflakes dance just outside the window, occasionally swinging onto the glass and dying.

"I...I want to see the snow, Jeff," he said now, getting up from the floor and making his way to the front door.

Jeff protested, following him. "Are you crazy? Tony, we'll definitely get caught."

"Just a minute won't hurt anybody," Tony replied, unlatching the great, towering doors that hung over them, daring them to exit the building. And they did, or at least Tony had. He stood outside, tilting his head back and stretching his arms out, still barefoot. He curled his toes in the inch-deep snow, feeling them freeze.

"Tony!" Jeff called impatiently. "Come on!"

Tony only laughed, returning to the doorway and grabbing Jeff's hand to make him join in.

"H-hey!" he said, stumbling, following him.

They were a little ways from the front entrance now, the snow swirling around them silently. It sprinkled the trees, gathered at the sills of the school's windows, clung to the ground below them that was never any color but white. Tony saw his breath as he exhaled, and chuckled when Jeff's glasses fogged up. Jeff rubbed them with his pajama sleeve, annoyed.

Both of them stared at the sky, black behind the gray clouds, and Tony knew what he wanted to say.

"Jeff," he began, his nose reddening from the cold, "thank you for being my best friend." His cheeks began to match his red nose. But this time he wasn't afraid to say it out loud, for he had waited too long already.

Jeff's hair, still messy, was now highlighted with snowflakes, and they even caught onto the edges of his silver frames. He smiled, revealing all his teeth. "You're welcome, pal."

They stood like that for a few minutes, their toes numb and noses red. Tony reached his hand up, attempting to hold one of the delicate specks of snow, but found they only melted once they met his fingers.

"I know, it stinks," Jeff said, and Tony noticed he was trying to do the same thing. "How about this?" Jeff walked closer to him, reaching out his palm, examining the snow that fell onto his skin, disappearing not a second later. "I'll invent something someday to keep snowflakes from melting, and you'll be able to hold them. Sound good?"

Tony beamed, clasping his hands together in joy. "Oh—Jeff! That would be marvelous!"

He smiled back. "Okay then. I'll put it on my list." They spent a few minutes trying to hold the snowflakes again, and a few more just staring at them together, admiring their fragile beauty. They were freezing, so freezing, but neither wanted to disturb the peace. They could taste the chocolate in their mouths and feel the icy breeze at their necks—uncomfortable of course, but bearable enough to keep them there, lost in a daydream.

After a little while Jeff suggested they go inside, before they get sick (or caught—whichever came first). So reluctantly they went back into the school, re-latching the door and bringing their used mugs back with them to conceal the evidence.

"That was fun," Jeff remarked as he climbed back into bed.

Tony sat on his bed, staring at the floor again. "I'm cold."

"Hurry, get under the covers," Jeff said, turning away from him as he settled onto the pillow.

But Tony did not budge, his eyes still on Jeff in the darkness, his heart still thumping. Tonight couldn't be perfect, he knew that, even though it came pretty close. But it didn't stop him from dreaming—and desiring it to be. He continued to be still, and Jeff noticed this, asking him what was wrong.

"I-I don't want to have another nightmare, Jeff," Tony told him quietly. His voice was so small.

"You won't," Jeff reassured his friend. "I'm right here."

Tony turned away shyly.

"Hey," Jeff said. Tony looked up. Jeff patted the space beside him on the bed, and for a moment Tony was as frozen as the snow outside.

"Come here," said Jeff. Tony listened, carefully pulling away the sheets as Jeff scooted down to give him room. He pulled the covers up to his chin, facing his friend.

Jeff smiled in the darkness, and he wished Tony could see. "Cold?" he asked, and Tony shook his head. But Jeff didn't believe him, so he wrapped his arm around him just to make sure.

"No more nightmares, okay?" Jeff whispered.

Tony relaxed in his friend's arms, smiling against Jeff's warm chest.

"Okay."


End file.
